Cal Poly Claims National Concrete Canoe Championship for Third Year in a Row

For the third consecutive year, Cal Poly won gold at the National Concrete Canoe Competition, considered the America’s Cup of Civil Engineering. The team’s three-peat came in a canoe aptly named Prospector in honor of the California Gold Rush.

The American Society of Civil Engineers’ (ASCE) 25th annual National Concrete Canoe Competition was held June 14-16 at the University of Nevada, Reno.

Cal Poly was among 22 top engineering schools at the prestigious event that challenges students’ knowledge, creativity and stamina while showcasing the versatility and durability of concrete as a building material.

The competition was broken into four equally weighted categories: final product, design paper, technical presentation and races. Cal Poly placed first in three categories and third in technical presentation.

“We put in 5,250 hours on the development of Prospector,” said Project Manager Erik Bjornstrom. “We applied innovative and sustainable practices to every aspect of its construction. That included testing 160 different concrete mixes, eliminating a layer of reinforcement and incorporating more sustainable materials.”

For the first time in several years, the rules allowed teams to develop their own custom hull design. “The extra task challenged our already tight schedule,” Bjornstrom said, “but we worked hard and stayed organized.”

“Our biggest edge,” said Gavin Miller, a construction captain, “is the level of support we receive from alumni, sponsors, faculty and previous captains. The transfer of knowledge from one team to another is one of this team’s greatest assets.”